The Bible Code
Stratford versus Oxford – Who penned Shakespeare's Works?
DavidDavid E.E. ThomasThomas FriendlyFriendly PhilosophersPhilosophers MayMay 2121st,, 20122012 [email protected]@swcp.com Roots of the Controversy
•• Shakespeare'sShakespeare's humblehumble originsorigins saidsaid toto bebe incompatibleincompatible withwith poeticpoetic skill,skill, genius...genius... •• LackedLacked aristocraticaristocratic education...education... • • LackedLacked aristocraticaristocratic sensibilities...sensibilities... • • LackedLacked familiarityfamiliarity withwith RoyalRoyal Court...Court... • • LackLack ofof records...records... partpart ofof aa Conspiracy?Conspiracy? Roland Emmerich Sets the Stage
• • RolandRoland EmmerichEmmerich Stargate (1994), Independence Day (1996), The Patriot (2000), The Day After Tomorrow (2004), 2012 (2009), Anonymous (2011)
Trailer:Trailer: “10“10 reasons...”reasons...” Some Anti-Stratfordians
•• MarkMark TwainTwain •• WaltWalt WhitmanWhitman • • HelenHelen KellerKeller • • SigmundSigmund FreudFreud x • • CharlieCharlie ChaplainChaplain • • OrsonOrson WellesWelles Some Candidates
•• WilliamWilliam Stanley,Stanley, 6th6th EarlEarl ofof DerbyDerby •• ChristopherChristopher MarloweMarlowe • • SirSir FrancisFrancis BaconBacon • • EdwardEdward dede Vere,Vere, 17th17th EarlEarl ofof OxfordOxford Oxford (de Vere)
•• Oxford'sOxford's authorshipauthorship hingeshinges onon supposedsupposed similaritiessimilarities betweenbetween eventsevents inin Oxford'sOxford's lifelife andand thosethose inin Shakespeare'sShakespeare's plays,plays, sonnetssonnets andand poems;poems; •• ParallelsParallels ofof languagelanguage usageusage andand sentimentssentiments betweenbetween Oxford'sOxford's lettersletters andand Shakespeare'sShakespeare's works;works;
• • SeveralSeveral markedmarked passagespassages fromfrom Oxford'sOxford's BibleBible appearappear inin somesome formform inin Shakespeare'sShakespeare's plays;plays;
• • TalentedTalented poet,poet, playwright,playwright, knewknew theatretheatre scene,scene, long-termlong-term relationshipsrelationships withwith QueenQueen Elizabeth,Elizabeth, knowledgeknowledge ofof courtcourt lifelife ;; Oxford (de Vere)
• • J.J. ThomasThomas Looney'sLooney's ShakespeareShakespeare IdentifiedIdentified (1920)(1920) broughbroughtt EdwardEdward dede Vere,Vere, 17th17th EarlEarl ofof Oxford,Oxford, toto thethe fore.fore.
•• 1952,1952, CharltonCharlton andand DorothyDorothy OgburnOgburn publishedpublished thethe 1,300-page1,300-page ThisThis StarStar ofof EnglandEngland,, whichwhich includedincluded thethe PrincePrince TudorTudor theorytheory (Elizabeth(Elizabeth andand OxfordOxford werewere loverslovers andand hadhad conceivedconceived aa child);child); • • OctoberOctober 2011,2011, RolandRoland Emmerich'sEmmerich's filmfilm AnonymousAnonymous isis releasedreleased byby SonySony Pictures:Pictures: thethe filmfilm ""presentspresents aa compellingcompelling portraitportrait ofof EdwardEdward dede VereVere asas thethe truetrue authorauthor ofof Shakespeare'sShakespeare's playsplays";"; Meet the Oxfordians
• • MichaelMichael ChiklisChiklis
••SigmundSigmund FreudFreud
•• SirSir JohnJohn GielgudGielgud
•• JeremyJeremy IronsIrons Meet the Oxfordians
• • AntoninAntonin ScaliaScalia
• • RolandRoland EmmerichEmmerich Stargate (1994), Independence • • MichaelMichael YorkYork Day (1996), The Patriot (2000), The Day After Tomorrow (2004), 2012 (2009), Anonymous (2011) Anonymous (2011)
Rhys Ifans as Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford; Vanessa Redgrave as Elizabeth I; Roland Emmerich, Director; Joely Richardson as Young Queen Elizabeth I; David Thewlis as William Cecil. Anonymous (2011)
Oh yes, and Rafe Spall as William Shakespeare Meet the Oxfordians
1987,1987, MootMoot CourtCourt DebateDebate withwith justicesjustices Blackmun,Blackmun, Brennan,Brennan, andand Stevens,Stevens, foundfound inin favorfavor ofof Shakespeare.Shakespeare. Stevens:Stevens: “...the“...the OxfordianOxfordian casecase sufferssuffers fromfrom • • JohnJohn PaulPaul StevensStevens notnot havinghaving aa single,single, coherentcoherent theorytheory ofof thethe case.”case.” Meet the Oxfordians
2009,2009, WallWall StreetStreet JournalJournal articlearticle onon Stevens'Stevens' turnaround.turnaround. Stevens:Stevens: “Where“Where areare thethe books?books? YouYou can'tcan't bebe aa scholarscholar ofof thatthat depthdepth andand notnot havehave anyany booksbooks inin youryour home.home. HeHe nevernever hadhad anyany correspondencecorrespondence withwith hishis contemporaries,contemporaries, hehe nevernever waswas shownshown toto bebe presentpresent atat anyany majormajor eventevent –– • • JohnJohn PaulPaul StevensStevens thethe coronationcoronation ofof JamesJames oror anyany ofof thatthat stuff.stuff. II thinkthink thethe evidenceevidence thatthat hehe waswas notnot thethe authorauthor isis beyondbeyond aa reasonablereasonable doubt.”doubt.” Meet the Oxfordians (Cryptographic Clique)
• • LeroyLeroy EllenbergerEllenberger •• AlbertAlbert BurgstahlerBurgstahler
•• DavidDavid RoperRoper Hidden Messages are Real… Code-Key Cryptography
GusGus Simmons,Simmons, SNL,SNL, SpokeSpoke toto NMSRNMSR onon “Zero“Zero KnowledgeKnowledge Proofs”Proofs” (How(How toto proveprove youyou knowknow somethingsomething withoutwithout actuallyactually sayingsaying whatwhat itit is.)is.) Was Shakespeare really the Earl of Oxford? Skeptical Inquirer Nov/Dec '11 Nickell's Conclusions...
• “• “TheThe factfact thatthat MarloweMarlowe waswas killedkilled inin aa taverntavern fightfight beforebefore thethe majoritymajority ofof thethe Bard'sBard's playsplays hadhad beenbeen writtenwritten diddid notnot fazefaze thethe Marlovians.”Marlovians.” • • ““TheThe LooniesLoonies adoptedadopted 'Oxford''Oxford' asas theirtheir standardstandard bearerbearer eveneven thoughthough hehe hadhad dieddied beforebefore KingKing Lear,Lear, Macbeth,Macbeth, AntonyAntony andand Cleopatra,Cleopatra, andand severalseveral otherother playsplays werewere performed.”performed.” • • MuchMuch evidenceevidence WSWS waswas thethe author:author: recordsrecords ofof birth,birth, marriage,marriage, baptisms,baptisms, andand more.more. • • ScienceScience mistakesmistakes inin thethe plays:forplays:for exampleexample givinggiving BohemiaBohemia aa seacoast,seacoast, andand notingnoting clocksclocks inin ancientancient Rome.Rome. Bohemia near the Sea...
Winter'sWinter's Tale,Tale, ACTACT III,III, SCENESCENE III.III. Bohemia.Bohemia. AA desertdesert countrycountry nearnear thethe sea.sea. EnterEnter ANTIGONUSANTIGONUS withwith aa Child,Child, andand aa MarinerMariner ANTIGONUSANTIGONUS ThouThou artart perfectperfect then,then, ourour shipship hathhath touch'dtouch'd uponupon TheThe desertsdeserts ofof Bohemia?Bohemia? Clocks in Rome...
TheThe LifeLife andand DeathDeath ofof JuliusJulius CaesarCaesar ,, ACTACT II,II, SCENESCENE I.I. BRUTUSBRUTUS Peace!Peace! countcount thethe clock.clock. Wiki:Wiki: “The“The wordword clockclock (from(from thethe LatinLatin wordword cloccaclocca,, 'bell'),'bell'), CASSIUSCASSIUS whichwhich graduallygradually supersedessupersedes TheThe clockclock hathhath strickenstricken three.three. 'horologe','horologe', suggestssuggests thatthat itit waswas TREBONIUSTREBONIUS thethe soundsound ofof bellsbells whichwhich alsoalso 'Tis'Tis timetime toto part.part. characterizedcharacterized thethe prototypeprototype mechanicalmechanical clocksclocks thatthat appearedappeared duringduring thethe 13th13th centurycentury inin Europe.”Europe.” Shermer, SciAm, 2009 Conclusions...
• • ““YetYet thethe playsplays makemake manymany allusionsallusions toto thethe grammargrammar schoolschool educationeducation thatthat ShakespeareShakespeare hadhad andand notnot toto thethe universityuniversity lifelife heldheld soso deardear byby thethe skeptics;skeptics; insteadinstead ofof CambridgeCambridge mastersmasters andand OxfordOxford dons,dons, ShakespeareShakespeare routinelyroutinely referencesreferences schoolmasters,schoolmasters, schoolboysschoolboys andand schoolbooks.”schoolbooks.” • • Shakespeare'sShakespeare's fatherfather waswas aa middle-classmiddle-class landowner,landowner, estateestate valuedvalued atat ₤500₤500 (₤50(₤50 couldcould purchasepurchase aa modestmodest home),home), socialsocial standingstanding asas highhigh asas Marlowe'sMarlowe's oror BenBen Jonson's;Jonson's; • • HundredsHundreds ofof examplesexamples ofof literaryliterary andand historicalhistorical documentsdocuments bolsterbolster Stratfordians,Stratfordians, seesee bookbook TheThe CaseCase forfor ShakespeareShakespeare (Scott(Scott McCrea,McCrea, PraegerPraeger 2008)2008) NY Times, Oct. 11th, 2011 “Wouldn’t“Wouldn’t ItIt BeBe CoolCool ifif ShakespeareShakespeare Wasn’tWasn’t Shakespeare?”Shakespeare?” byby StephenStephen MarcheMarche
““'Was'Was ShakespeareShakespeare aa fraud?'fraud?' That’sThat’s thethe questionquestion thethe promotionalpromotional machinerymachinery forfor RolandRoland Emmerich’sEmmerich’s newnew film,film, 'Anonymous,''Anonymous,' wantswants toto usherusher outout ofof thethe tinytiny enclosureenclosure ofof fringefringe academicacademic conferencesconferences intointo thethe widerwider pasturespastures ofof aa HollywoodHollywood audience.audience...... FirstFirst theythey camecame forfor thethe KennedyKennedy scholars,scholars, andand II diddid notnot speakspeak out,out, becausebecause II waswas notnot aa KennedyKennedy scholar.scholar. ThenThen theythey camecame forfor OpusOpus Dei,Dei, andand II diddid notnot speakspeak out,out, becausebecause II waswas notnot aa CatholicCatholic scholar.scholar. NowNow theythey havehave comecome forfor me.me...... ThanksThanks toto 'Anonymous,''Anonymous,' undergraduatesundergraduates willwill bebe confidentlyconfidently assertingasserting thatthat ShakespeareShakespeare wasn’twasn’t ShakespeareShakespeare forfor thethe nextnext 1010 yearsyears atat least,least, andand profsprofs willwill havehave toto wastewaste countlesscountless hourshours explainingexplaining thethe obvious.obvious. ...”...” NY Times, Oct. 11th, 2011 “Wouldn’t“Wouldn’t ItIt BeBe CoolCool ifif ShakespeareShakespeare Wasn’tWasn’t Shakespeare?”Shakespeare?” byby StephenStephen MarcheMarche
““'Anonymous''Anonymous' subscribessubscribes toto thethe OxfordianOxfordian theorytheory ofof authorship,authorship, thethe contentioncontention thatthat EdwardEdward dede Vere,Vere, thethe 17th17th earlearl ofof Oxford,Oxford, wrotewrote Shakespeare’sShakespeare’s plays.plays. AmongAmong ShakespeareShakespeare scholars,scholars, thethe ideaidea hashas roughlyroughly thethe samesame currencycurrency asas thethe fakedfaked moonmoon landinglanding doesdoes amongamong astronauts.astronauts. TheThe goodgood newsnews isis thatthat 'Anonymous''Anonymous' makesmakes anan extraordinarilyextraordinarily poorpoor casecase forfor thethe OxfordianOxfordian theory.theory...... MistakesMistakes areare plentifulplentiful andand glaring.glaring. InIn anan earlyearly scene,scene, Shakespeare’sShakespeare’s contemporarycontemporary ChristopherChristopher MarloweMarlowe watcheswatches aa newnew play,play, 'Henry'Henry V,'V,' whichwhich supposedlysupposedly happenshappens onon thethe samesame dayday thatthat LordLord EssexEssex departsdeparts forfor Ireland.Ireland. ButBut MarloweMarlowe dieddied inin 1593,1593, whilewhile EssexEssex leftleft forfor IrelandIreland inin 1599.1599. ...”...” NY Times, Oct. 11th, 2011 “Wouldn’t“Wouldn’t ItIt BeBe CoolCool ifif ShakespeareShakespeare Wasn’tWasn’t Shakespeare?”Shakespeare?” byby StephenStephen MarcheMarche
““TheThe theatricaltheatrical censorcensor respondsresponds withwith shockshock toto thethe ideaidea thatthat inin Shakespeare’sShakespeare’s versionversion ofof 'Richard'Richard III,'III,' thethe kingking isis portrayedportrayed asas aa hunchback.hunchback. ButBut ShakespeareShakespeare diddid notnot inventinvent thatthat idea.idea. InIn thethe influentialinfluential 'History'History ofof RichardRichard III,'III,' byby ThomasThomas More,More, writtenwritten aroundaround 1516,1516, RichardRichard isis 'little'little ofof stature,stature, illill featuredfeatured ofof limbs,limbs, crookcrook backed,backed, hishis leftleft shouldershoulder muchmuch higherhigher thanthan hishis right.'right.' ...... TheThe craziestcraziest ideaidea inin 'Anonymous,''Anonymous,' however,however, isis thatthat EdwardEdward dede VereVere wrotewrote aa versionversion ofof 'A'A MidsummerMidsummer Night’sNight’s Dream'Dream' 4040 yearsyears beforebefore itsits performanceperformance atat court,court, puttingputting thethe compositioncomposition ofof thethe playplay somewheresomewhere aroundaround 1560.1560...... YouYou can’tcan’t writewrite aa hip-hophip-hop masterpiecemasterpiece beforebefore hip-hophip-hop hashas beenbeen invented.invented. AndAnd youyou can’tcan’t writewrite 'A'A MidsummerMidsummer Night’sNight’s Dream'Dream' untiluntil EnglishEnglish secularsecular comedycomedy hashas comecome intointo existence.existence. ...”...” NY Times, Oct. 11th, 2011 “Wouldn’t“Wouldn’t ItIt BeBe CoolCool ifif ShakespeareShakespeare Wasn’tWasn’t Shakespeare?”Shakespeare?” byby StephenStephen MarcheMarche
““It’sIt’s thethe bestbest ofof bothboth worldsworlds forfor Emmerich:Emmerich: hehe getsgets toto questionquestion hundredshundreds ofof yearsyears ofof legitimatelegitimate scholarshipscholarship withoutwithout anyany needneed toto bebe consistentconsistent withwith basicbasic chronology,chronology, because,because, afterafter all,all, it’sit’s justjust aa movie.movie. AndAnd ifif youyou taketake 'Anonymous''Anonymous' asas justjust aa movie,movie, itit maymay notnot eveneven bebe thatthat bad.bad...... thethe fatalfatal weaknessweakness ofof thethe OxfordianOxfordian theorytheory isis chronological,chronological, aa weaknessweakness thatthat 'Anonymous''Anonymous' nevernever addresses:addresses: thethe brutebrute factfact thatthat EdwardEdward dede VereVere dieddied inin 1604,1604, whilewhile ShakespeareShakespeare continuedcontinued toto write,write, severalseveral timestimes withwith partners,partners, untiluntil 1613.1613. 'Macbeth''Macbeth' andand 'The'The Tempest'Tempest' werewere inspiredinspired byby eventsevents posthumousposthumous toto thethe EarlEarl ofof Oxford:Oxford: thethe gunpowdergunpowder plotplot inin 16051605 andand GeorgeGeorge Somers’sSomers’s misadventuremisadventure toto BermudaBermuda inin 1609.1609. HowHow cancan anyoneanyone bebe inspiredinspired byby eventsevents thatthat happenedhappened afterafter hishis death?”death?” TheThe gunpowdergunpowder plotplot inin 16051605
Parallels:Parallels: attackattack onon aa defenseless,defenseless, busy,busy, tired,tired, weaponlessweaponless King.King. (Macbeth's(Macbeth's succeeded)succeeded) NY Times, Oct. 11th, 2011 “Wouldn’t“Wouldn’t ItIt BeBe CoolCool ifif ShakespeareShakespeare Wasn’tWasn’t Shakespeare?”Shakespeare?” byby StephenStephen MarcheMarche ““ So,So, enough.enough. ItIt isis impossibleimpossible thatthat EdwardEdward dede VereVere wrotewrote Shakespeare.Shakespeare. NoticeNotice thatthat II amam notnot sayingsaying improbable;improbable; itit isis impossible.impossible...... Besides,Besides, nono argumentargument couldcould everever possiblypossibly swaysway thethe OxfordianOxfordian crowd.crowd. TheyThey areare thethe prophetsprophets ofof truthiness.truthiness. 'It'It couldn’tcouldn’t havehave beenbeen Shakespeare,'Shakespeare,' theythey say.say. 'How'How couldcould aa semiliteratesemiliterate countrycountry boyboy havehave composedcomposed worksworks ofof suchsuch power?'power?' TheirTheir snobberysnobbery isis thethe surestsurest signsign ofof theirtheir ignorance.ignorance. ManyMany ofof thethe greatestgreatest EnglishEnglish writerswriters emergedemerged fromfrom thethe middlemiddle oror lowerlower classes.classes. DickensDickens workedworked inin aa shoe-polishshoe-polish factoryfactory asas aa child.child. KeatsKeats waswas attackedattacked forfor belongingbelonging toto thethe 'cockney'cockney school.'school.' ...... Unfortunately,Unfortunately, thethe nonquestionnonquestion ofof Shakespeare’sShakespeare’s identityidentity isis nownow beingbeing askedasked onon billboardsbillboards allall overover thethe world.world. ItIt willwill raiseraise debatedebate wherewhere nonenone shouldshould be.be. ItIt willwill sowsow confusionconfusion wherewhere therethere isis none.none. SomebodySomebody herehere isis aa fraud,fraud, butbut itit isn’tisn’t Shakespeare.”Shakespeare.” • • LeroyLeroy I Get Mail... EllenbergerEllenberger
Subject: Really Proving Shakespeare Date: Sat, 29 Oct 2011 11:59:18 -0700 (PDT) From: Leroy Ellenberger
Ken, I regret to inform you that Joe Nickell's article "Did Shakespeare Write 'Shakespeare'?" in Nov/Dec Skeptical Inquirer is fatally flawed by ignoring the recently discovered PROOF that Edward de Vere was the author of the sonnets and plays attributed to William Shakespeare.
When Nickell writes "The fact is that there is no proof (innuendo and coincidence and mystery mongering are not proof) that 'Shakespeare' was written by anyone other than William Shakespeare" he assumes the role of another indignant, self-righteous "skeptic" who lacks command of the relevant literature. • • LeroyLeroy I Get Mail... EllenbergerEllenberger
In 2008, David Roper published Proving Shakespeare in which he reveals that Ben Jonson's inscription on the Stratford Monument contains a cryptogram in the form of an equidistant letter sequence (ELS) Cardano grille whose UNIQUE solution declares Edward de Vere to be the author the works attributed to William Shakespeare. Here is a brief description of this cryptogram from Albert Burgstahler's recent address in Washington, D.C.:
•• AlbertAlbert •• DavidDavid BurgstahlerBurgstahler RoperRoper •• AlbertAlbert I Get Mail... BurgstahlerBurgstahler
Burgstahler: "The most detailed and compelling example of an ELS grille containing veiled contemporary testimony that Shakespeare was de Vere is undoubtedly that discovered by David L. Roper in the famous Stratford monument inscription dating from about the year 1620. Opening with: 'STAY, PASSENGER, WHY GOEST THOV BY SO FAST? / READ IF THOV CANST . . . ,' the six iambic pentameter lines in English following the opening two lines in Latin of the inscription clearly suggest the presence of a hidden message. Using a simple arithmetical trial procedure to decipher the six lines in English, Roper found a unique plain-text message concealed in a 34- column ELS grille ...” I Get Mail...
Ellenberger: The decrypted message, signed at the end with the upward reading initials BI (I = J) for Ben Jonson (1572--1637), declares: SO TEST HIM, I VOW HE IS E DE VERE AS HE, SHAKSPEARE: ME, B. I. (SLIDE -- Figure 5) Later, Dr. Bruce Spittle in New Zealand spotted the clue for the 34 ELS array by the offset indentation of the 34-letter second Latin line of the inscription. The uniqueness of the 34-column grille is also attested by the fact that the 220 letters of the inscription in the order of their appearance, when set out in 51 ELS trial grilles ranging from 55 columns with 4 rows to 5 columns with 44 rows, only the 34-column grille contains a plausible vertical- reading message giving the name of a possible candidate, E. de Vere." I Get Mail...
Ellenberger: This cryptogram cannot validly be dismissed on the grounds that it is just another "Bible code" exercise because its solution meets the criteria for literary codes set forth by the Friedmans in the 1950s. The Cardano grille cryptogram in the Stratford Monument is not alone, for other examples by de Vere and his associates asserting the identity have since been discovered, as Burgstahler reported in his October address. It is interesting to note that ALL of the cryptograms discovered to date concern Edward de Vere, to the exclusion of any other candidate such as Bacon and Marlowe. … Was Shakespeare really the Earl of Oxford? Was Shakespeare really the Earl of Oxford? Roper, “Ben Jonson’s Vow ― Edward de Vere Is Shakespeare” Roper : Having tested the names Bacon and Marlowe without success, I tried Vere. This resulted in a positive outcome, and immediately directed my attention to a 34-column grille. Upon drawing this grille and entering the letters of the sixaine in each cell, I quickly located the vertical alignment of the letters VERE, only to discover they were accompanied by ‘E’ and ‘DE’. Admittedly ‘DE’ was immediately adjacent to VERE, and not in a direct line with his name, but since the 220 letters in the sixaine, when divided into 34 columns, result in 6.4 lines, it was easy to see there was insufficient space to place it in line with E VERE ... Heads I Win, Tails You Lose...
AnythingAnything thatthat revealsreveals thethe “Message”“Message” mustmust havehave beenbeen putput therethere onon purpose,purpose, toto transmittransmit thethe hiddenhidden information...information...
Alternatively,Alternatively, anythinganything thatthat obscuresobscures thethe “Message”“Message” mustmust havehave beenbeen putput therethere onon purpose,purpose, toto concealconceal thethe hiddenhidden information...information... Was Shakespeare really the Earl of Oxford?
DavidDavid LL RoperRoper ©© 2011:2011: “Clustering“Clustering isis thethe markmark ofof aa genuinegenuine cipher.cipher. WhenWhen thesethese clustersclusters areare readread inin thethe numericalnumerical orderorder ofof theirtheir cellcell number,number, theythey produce:―produce:― ““SOSO TESTTEST HIM,HIM, II VOWVOW HEHE ISIS EE VEREVERE DE:DE: ASAS HEHE SHAKSPEARE;MESHAKSPEARE;ME I.B”I.B” Was Shakespeare really the Earl of Oxford?
Roper,Roper, continuedcontinued Was Shakespeare really de Vere?
TheThe “Grille”“Grille” isis similarsimilar toto thethe BibleBible CodeCode Cardano Grille? Step=22...
HEATED PELT HIT ELTON, HOT SOOT ACT, HATE CAME, NASH SHOT, YEAH, SHOD LAME WHO? MALE ELVIS, LIVING MEAT IN TREE Cardano Grille?
BCN:BCN: Marlowe:Marlowe: Step=12Step=12 Step=28Step=28
Roper:Roper: ““HavingHaving testedtested thethe namesnames BaconBacon andand MarloweMarlowe withoutwithout success,success, II triedtried Vere.Vere. ThisThis resultedresulted inin aa positivepositive ooutcomeutcome ...”...” Ben Jonson? Cardano Grille?
AA goodgood exampleexample ofof aa LogicalLogical Fallacy:Fallacy: RelativistRelativist FallacyFallacy:: TheThe RelativistRelativist FallacyFallacy isis committedcommitted whenwhen aa personperson rejectsrejects aa claimclaim byby assertingasserting thatthat thethe claimclaim mightmight bebe truetrue forfor othersothers butbut isis notnot forfor him/her.him/her. SpecialSpecial PleadingPleading :: aa fallacyfallacy inin whichwhich aa personperson appliesapplies standards,standards, principles,principles, rules,rules, etc.etc. toto othersothers whilewhile takingtaking herselfherself (or(or thosethose sheshe hashas aa specialspecial interestinterest in)in) toto bebe exempt,exempt, withoutwithout providingproviding adequateadequate justificationjustification forfor thethe exemption.exemption. The Oxfordians Reply
OxfordianOxfordian DavidDavid RoperRoper wrotewrote aboutabout mymy articlearticle inin thethe AprilApril 20122012 NMSRNMSR Reports,Reports, sayingsaying 1. 1. TheThe grillegrille containingcontaining thethe decryptiondecryption waswas notnot shownshown toto thethe reader,reader, althoughalthough D.T.D.T. mademade suresure hishis grillesgrilles werewere shown.shown. The Oxfordians Reply
2. 2. D.T.D.T. omittedomitted oror waswas unawareunaware ofof WilliamWilliam andand ElisabethElisabeth Friedman’sFriedman’s criteria.criteria. TheyThey “agreed“agreed unconditionallyunconditionally to to acceptaccept asas validvalid anyany ciphercipher thatthat fulfilsfulfils twotwo conditions:conditions: thatthat itsits plaintextplaintext makesmakes sense,sense, andand thatthat thisthis plaintextplaintext bebe uniqueunique andand unambiguousunambiguous -- thatthat itit notnot bebe oneone ofof severalseveral results.”results.” TheThe sentencesentence (D.T.(D.T. refersrefers toto itit asas aa phrase)phrase) “So“So testtest him,him, II VowVow HeHe IsIs E.E. DeDe VereVere AsAs HeHe Shakspeare:Shakspeare: MeMe I.B.”I.B.” isis uniqueunique andand unambiguousunambiguous asas toto itsits meaning,meaning, andand itit commentscomments uponupon thethe inscription’sinscription’s openingopening challengechallenge –– “Read“Read IfIf YouYou CanCan ...... ”” ItIt isis noteworthynoteworthy thatthat D.T,D.T, diddid notnot alertalert hishis readersreaders toto thethe importantimportant factfact thatthat thethe decryptiondecryption waswas aa responseresponse toto thatthat challenge,challenge, andand thereforetherefore shouldshould havehave beenbeen treatedtreated asas such.such. The Oxfordians Reply
3. 3. D.T.D.T. waswas anxiousanxious toto relaterelate thethe decryptiondecryption toto thethe BibleBible Code,Code, yetyet thisthis waswas aa seventeenthseventeenth centurycentury useuse ofof aa CardanoCardano grille,grille, inin popularpopular useuse atat thethe time,time, centuriescenturies beforebefore thethe BibleBible CodeCode camecame toto publicpublic notice.notice. 4. 4. D.T.D.T. waswas probablyprobably unawareunaware thatthat thethe decrypteddecrypted sentencesentence waswas inin responseresponse toto aa separateseparate encryptionencryption whichwhich stated:stated: “I“I AmAm dede VereVere ByBy Birth”.Birth”. HadHad hehe beenbeen soso aware,aware, hehe wouldwould havehave betterbetter understoodunderstood thethe impactimpact ofof thethe secondsecond encryption,encryption, whichwhich notnot onlyonly vowsvows thisthis toto bebe true,true, butbut urgesurges thatthat dede VereVere bebe tested.tested. The Oxfordians Reply
5. 5. D.T.D.T. mademade nono mentionmention ofof thethe ‘fine-tuning’‘fine-tuning’ containedcontained inin thethe lettering:lettering: withoutwithout which,which, thethe decryptiondecryption wouldwould notnot havehave beenbeen possible.possible. ItIt isis curiouscurious thatthat D.T.D.T. diddid notnot wonderwonder whywhy thethe wordswords ShakspeareShakspeare MonvmentMonvment hadhad beenbeen transposedtransposed toto readread MonvmentMonvment ShakespeareShakespeare ,, oror whywhy thethe GermanGerman wordword SiehSieh hadhad beenbeen insertedinserted intointo aa piecepiece ofof EnglishEnglish text,text, or or whywhy whome[e]whome[e] hashas beenbeen speltspelt inin twotwo differentdifferent waysways -- to to namename butbut three.three. ThereThere areare actuallyactually 77 anomaliesanomalies inin thethe text,text, allall ofof whichwhich areare necessarynecessary toto produceproduce thethe decrypteddecrypted message.message. AsAs DavidDavid KahnKahn wrotewrote inin hishis CodebreakersCodebreakers “the“the method’smethod’s chiefchief defectdefect [Equi-distant[Equi-distant LetterLetter Sequencing]Sequencing] ofof course,course, isis thatthat awkwardnessawkwardness inin phrasingphrasing maymay betraybetray thethe veryvery secretsecret thatthat thatthat phrasingphrasing shouldshould guard:guard: thethe existenceexistence ofof aa hiddenhidden message.”message.” The Oxfordians Reply
6. 6. D.T.D.T. mademade nono mentionmention ofof thethe factfact thatthat thethe lineline precedingpreceding Jonson’sJonson’s sixsix lineslines ofof verseverse isis thethe onlyonly oneone thatthat hashas beenbeen inset.inset. HadHad hehe countedcounted thethe numbernumber ofof lettersletters –– notingnoting thatthat thethe lettersletters spellingspelling maeretmaeret hadhad beenbeen reducedreduced byby oneone toto mæret,mæret, andand thatthat MountMount OlympusOlympus (the(the homehome ofof thethe gods)gods) hadhad replacedreplaced MountMount ParnassusParnassus (the(the homehome ofof thethe Muses),Muses), hehe wouldwould havehave countedcounted 3434 –– thethe keykey toto thethe 34-column34-column grillegrille thatthat revealsreveals thethe decrypteddecrypted message.message. 7. 7. D.T.D.T. makesmakes muchmuch ofof thethe factfact thatthat ‘de’‘de’ isis setset besidebeside ‘E‘E Vere’.Vere’. OnceOnce againagain WilliamWilliam andand ElisabethElisabeth FriedmanFriedman allowedallowed this;this; viz:viz: “This“This tactictactic isis acceptableacceptable toto thethe professionalprofessional cryptologistcryptologist onlyonly ifif thethe exceptionsexceptions dodo notnot exceedexceed aa certaincertain maximum.”maximum.” OneOne smallsmall exceptionexception isis certainlycertainly allowable,allowable, isis itit not?not? The Oxfordians Reply
8. 8. InIn anan efforteffort toto demonstratedemonstrate thatthat thethe encryptionencryption isis aa chancechance occurrence,occurrence, D.T.D.T. constructedconstructed hishis ownown grille,grille, byby addingadding extraextra lettersletters toto thethe 220220 whichwhich containcontain thethe encryption.encryption. WithWith 327327 lettersletters toto playplay withwith (just(just 33 shortshort ofof aa 5050 percentpercent increaseincrease inin thethe lettersletters ofof thethe original),original), hehe firstfirst insetinset itit byby 8 8 squares,squares, thenthen cherry-pickedcherry-picked hishis wayway acrossacross hishis grille,grille, toto makemake upup aa piecepiece ofof gibberish.gibberish. NeedlessNeedless toto saysay toto thethe educated,educated, aa strictstrict analogyanalogy necessitatesnecessitates thatthat 220220 lettersletters bebe adheredadhered to,to, thatthat anyany messagemessage bebe limitedlimited toto 33 clusters,clusters, andand thatthat anan appropriateappropriate key,key, equivalentequivalent toto thethe oneone thatthat existsexists forfor thethe 34-column34-column grille,grille, mustmust accompanyaccompany anyany suggestionsuggestion ofof aa disproof.disproof. D.T.’sD.T.’s analysisanalysis failedfailed atat everyevery point.point. Is the Inscription the Original?
GoodGood evidenceevidence indicatesindicates thatthat thethe “Stay“Stay Passenger”Passenger” inscriptioninscription hashas changedchanged overover thethe years,years, andand thatthat thethe currentcurrent inscriptioninscription isis thethe resultresult ofof aa renovationrenovation thatthat alteredaltered thethe originaloriginal texttext.. SeeSee THETHE SS HH AA KK SS -- PP EE AA RR EE MEMORIALMEMORIAL EPITAPH:EPITAPH: HISTORYHISTORY OFOF AA FRAUDFRAUD (2012)(2012) ByBy EricEric L.L. Miller,Miller, ericmillerworks.comericmillerworks.com “This basic MR Due Diligence Report was undertaken as MR’s pro bono response to a query regarding the work of Mr. David Roper, who claims in his writings and recently published book, Proving Shakespeare (2009), to have discovered and solved a hidden cipher implanted into the text of the original epitaph plaque on Shakespeare’s Stratford Monument.” Is the Inscription the Original?
OldestOldest RecordRecord ofof thethe Inscription:Inscription: “About“About 1625”1625” Is the Inscription the Original?
OldestOldest RecordRecord ofof thethe Inscription:Inscription: “About“About 1625”1625”
StayStay passengerpassenger whywhy go’stgo’st thothouu byby soso fastfast readread ifif thouthou Canst,Canst, whomwhom enuiousenuious deathdeath hathhath plaplacctt withinwithin thisthis monmonuument:ment: ShakShakeespeare:speare: withwith whomwhom quickquick naturenature dy’ddy’d;; whosewhose namename dothdoth deckdeck thisthis totooombembe farfar moremore thenthen cost;cost; sithsith allall thatthat heehee hathhath writwrit lealeauueses liliueueinging artart butbut PagePage vntovnto hishis witt.witt. Is the Inscription the Original?
DugdaleDugdale Copy:Copy: “About“About 1634,1634, PublishedPublished 1656”1656” Is the Inscription the Original?
DugdaleDugdale Copy:Copy: “About“About 1634,1634, PublishedPublished 1656”1656”
IudicioIudicio PyliumPylium geniogenio Socratem,Socratem, artearte MaronemMaronem TerraTerra tegittegit populuspopulus maret,maret, olympusolympus habet,habet, StayStay passengerpassenger whywhy goestgoest thothouu byby sosoee fast,fast, Read,Read, ifif thothouu can’stcan’st whomwhom enviousenvious deathdeath hathhath plaplacc’t’t w[th]w[th] inin thisthis monmonuumentment ShakspeareShakspeare withwith whomewhome QuickQuick natnatuurere dyeddyed,, whosewhose namename dothdoth deckdeck thethe tombetombe FarFar moremore thenthen cost,cost, sithsith allall thatthat hehe hathhath writwrit LeaLeauueses livingliving artart butbut pagepage toto serseruuee hishis witt.witt. Obijt A.[o] DNI, 1616 aet. 53, die 23 Apri: Is the Inscription the Original?
VertuVertu Engraving:Engraving: “About“About 1725”1725” Is the Inscription the Original?
VirtuVirtu engraving:engraving: “About“About 1725”1725”
INGENIO PYLIIEM, GENIO SOCRATEM , ARTE MARONEM, TERRA TEGIT, POPULUS MAERET, OLYMPUS HABET.
StayStay Passenger,Passenger, whywhy dostdost thouthou gogo soso fast?fast? Read,Read, ifif thouthou canst,canst, whomwhom enviousenvious DeathDeath hashas plaplacc’d’d WithinWithin thisthis MonMonuument:ment: ShakShakeespear,spear, withwith whomwhom QuickQuick NatureNature dy’ddy’d,, whosewhose NameName dothdoth deckdeck thethe TombTomb FarFar moremore thanthan Cost,Cost, sincesince allall thatthat hehe hahass WritWrit LeavesLeaves livingliving Art,Art, butbut PagePage toto serveserve hishis WitWit.. Ob: An(o) D(oi) 1616. AEat. 53 Die 23 Aprr Is the Inscription the Original?
AbrahamAbraham Wivell:Wivell: “About“About 1827”1827” Is the Inscription the Original?
WivellWivell PublishedPublished BookBook 18271827
STAYSTAY PASSENGER,PASSENGER, WHYWHY GOESTGOEST THOVTHOV BYBY SOSO FAST?FAST? READREAD IFIF THOVTHOV CANST,CANST, WHOMWHOM ENVIOVSENVIOVS DEATHDEATH HASTHAST PLAST,PLAST, WITHWITH ININ THISTHIS MONVMENTMONVMENT SHAKSPEARE,SHAKSPEARE, WITHWITH WHOMEWHOME QVICKQVICK NATVRENATVRE DIDE:DIDE: WHOSEWHOSE NAMENAME DOTHDOTH DECKDECK YSYS TOMBETOMBE FARFAR MOREMORE THENTHEN COST,COST, SIEHSIEH ALLALL YTYT HEHE HATHHATH WRITT,WRITT, LEAVESLEAVES LIVINGLIVING ART,ART, BVTBVT PAGEPAGE TOTO SERVESERVE HISHIS WITT.WITT.
OBITOBIT ANO.ANO. DOI.DOI. 1616.1616. AETATISAETATIS 53.53. DIEDIE 23.23. AP.AP. ““SOSO TESTTEST HIM,HIM, II VOWVOW HEHE ISIS EE VEREVERE DE:DE: ASAS HEHE SHAKSPEARE;MESHAKSPEARE;ME I.B”I.B” WivellWivell PublishedPublished BookBook 18271827 SOSO HEHE SHAKSPEARESHAKSPEARE VertuVertu Engraving:Engraving: “About“About 1725”1725” TE_TTE_T H_MH_M SHAKSPEARESHAKSPEARE
DugdaleDugdale Copy:Copy: “About“About 1634,1634, PublishedPublished 1656”1656” So Shakespeare OldestOldest RecordRecord ofof thethe Inscription:Inscription: “About“About 1625”1625” D.T.'s New, Improved Cipher
NowNow usingusing onlyonly 220220 characters,characters, 33 clusters,clusters, etc.etc.
ME,ME, SHEENSHEEN FOSHFOSH HASHAS DEARDEAR SHAKSPEARESHAKSPEARE ASAS TEDTED T,T, ISIS SETSET HE.HE. D.T.'s New, Improved Cipher
NowNow usingusing onlyonly 220220 characters,characters, 33 clusters,clusters, etc.etc. Here,Here, aa stepstep ofof 21.21.
ME,ME, SHEENSHEEN FOSHFOSH HASHAS DEARDEAR SHAKSPEARESHAKSPEARE ASAS TEDTED T,T, ISIS SETSET HE.HE. FOSH = FO'SHO = For Sure How to get Step of 21?
IndentedIndented row:row: 3434 characters,characters, 3+43+4 == 7;7; ThreeThree mainmain PartsParts (Latin,(Latin, Inscription,Inscription, Date);Date); 3x73x7 == 21.21. The Big Picture
DoesDoes mymy ciphercipher proveprove thatthat CharlieCharlie SheenSheen attestedattested thatthat TedTed TurnerTurner waswas thethe OneOne TrueTrue AuthorAuthor ofof Shakespeare'sShakespeare's works?works? OfOf coursecourse not!not! MoreMore importantly,importantly, eveneven ifif BenBen JonsonJonson hadhad somehowsomehow purposelypurposely craftedcrafted suchsuch aa ciphercipher intointo thethe tombtomb inscription,inscription, wouldwould thatthat proveprove dede VereVere wrotewrote Shakespeare?Shakespeare? OfOf coursecourse not!not! In Addition: Acrostics
RalphRalph L.L. Tweedale,Tweedale, nownow AlbertAlbert W.W. BurgstahlerBurgstahler :: diagonaldiagonal alignmentsalignments oror acrosticsacrostics ofof thethe fourfour lettersletters ofof thethe VereVere surnamesurname extendingextending downwarddownward oror upwardupward throughthrough fourfour contiguouscontiguous lineslines ofof printprint inin somesome ofof thethe worksworks ofof Shakespeare,Shakespeare, especiallyespecially hishis sonnets...sonnets... inin suchsuch aa wayway asas toto formform EOEO oror EOXEOX …… Was Shakespeare really the Earl of Oxford? AlthoughAlthough notnot obviousobvious atat firstfirst glance,glance, andand thereforetherefore idealideal asas aa cryptographiccryptographic identityidentity device,device, thesethese diagonaldiagonal VereVere alignmentsalignments oror acrosticsacrostics (DVAs)...(DVAs)... faithfullyfaithfully followfollow aa veryvery simplesimple setset ofof rulesrules toto formform thethe name-name- revealingrevealing blockblock letterletter initialsinitials EOEO oror EOX.EOX. BesidesBesides thethe usualusual spellingspelling ofof thethe namename Vere,Vere, DVAsDVAs alsoalso makemake useuse ofof thethe alternativealternative spellingspelling Veer...Veer... Was Shakespeare really the Earl of Oxford? …… thethe usualusual spellingspelling ofof thethe namename Vere,Vere, DVAsDVAs alsoalso makemake useuse ofof thethe alternativealternative spellingS:spellingS: v-e-r-e,v-e-r-e, v-e-e-r,v-e-e-r, u-e-r-e,u-e-r-e, u-e-e-r,u-e-e-r, w-e-r-e,w-e-r-e, andand w-e-e-r.w-e-e-r. InIn addition,addition, threethree furtherfurther variationsvariations ofof thethe contractioncontraction EE VerVer (for(for EdwardEdward Vere)Vere) areare alsoalso allowed:allowed: e-v-e-r,e-v-e-r, e-u-e-r,e-u-e-r, andand e-w-e-r.e-w-e-r. Was Shakespeare really the Earl of Oxford? FacsimileFacsimile ofof SonnetSonnet 8282 inin Shake-speare’sShake-speare’s SonnetsSonnets (1609)(1609) showingshowing ERd/LuOXERd/LuOX blockblock lettersletters formedformed byby 1010 ofof thethe 1515 DVAsDVAs Was Shakespeare really the Earl of Oxford?
Example:Example: U-E-R-EU-E-R-E Acrostics? WithoutWithout thethe subjectivesubjective truncations,truncations, thethe messagemessage vanishesvanishes!! Conclusion
AreAre wewe skepticsskeptics ignoringignoring thethe recentlyrecently discovereddiscovered PROOF(s)PROOF(s) thatthat EdwardEdward dede VereVere waswas thethe authorauthor ofof thethe sonnetssonnets andand playsplays attributedattributed toto WilliamWilliam Shakespeare?Shakespeare?
No!No!